Mariners win eighth straight, stay one game ahead of Jays

CHICAGO (AP) — Josh Rojas hit a two-run homer and six Seattle relievers combined for five effective innings, helping the Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Tuesday night for their season-high eighth straight win.

After Bryan Woo tossed four innings of one-run ball in his return from the injured list, Seattle's bullpen took over. Justin Topa (3-3) got four outs for the win, and Andrés Muñoz earned his eighth save by striking out Luis Robert Jr. with a runner on first.

The Mariners (71-55) moved a season-high 16 games over .500 by improving to 33-13 since July 1. They stayed in third in the AL West, a half-game game back of Houston.

Right before its eighth loss in 10 games, Chicago announced that executive vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn had been fired. The White Sox (49-77) began the year with playoff aspirations, but they got off to a 7-21 start and never recovered.

"This year has proven to be very disappointing for us all on many levels. This has led me to the conclusion that the best decision for the organization moving forward is to make a change in our baseball department leadership,” said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

Andrew Benintendi went deep and Andrew Vaughn had two of Chicago's 10 hits, including an RBI single. Mike Clevinger (5-6) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings.

Seattle went ahead to stay on RBI singles by Mike Ford and J.P. Crawford in the second. Ford reached on an eight-pitch walk in the fourth, and Rojas followed with a two-out drive to right-center for a 4-1 lead.

Woo allowed three hits, struck out three and walked one. The rookie had been sidelined by forearm inflammation.

Robert nearly hit a two-run homer with two out in the fifth, but his drive to left was just foul. Third base umpire Shane Livensparger originally signaled it was fair — prompting Guaranteed Rate Field to employ its usual lights display for a White Sox homer — before changing his call. A crew chief review confirmed it was foul.

COMING BACK

White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson completed his five-game suspension for his role in his fight with Guardians slugger José Ramírez on Aug. 5.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mariners: CF Julio Rodríguez was scratched because of an illness. Rodríguez also missed the series opener for rest. ... C Cal Raleigh was shaken up after he was hit by an Elvis Andrus foul ball in the second, but he stayed in the game. ... RHP Emerson Hancock (shoulder strain) was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Hancock, one of the team’s top prospects, was the No. 6 pick in the 2020 amateur draft.

White Sox: C Seby Zavala (strained left oblique) went 1 for 4 while serving as the designated hitter in his first rehab game with Triple-A Charlotte.

UP NEXT

Right-handers George Kirby (10-8, 3.23 ERA) and Michael Kopech (5-11, 5.12 ERA) take the mound on Wednesday afternoon for what is expected to be a sweltering series finale. Kirby is 1-0 with a 2.05 ERA in three August starts for Seattle. Kopech was tagged for nine runs in four innings in Chicago's 14-1 loss at Colorado on Friday.

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